Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin

Well, obviously the title of this book greatly appealed to me. I was very excited to receive this ARC, and I started reading it right away. A novel about a baker - marvelous!

Back of the book description:

This gloriously written tale, set in modern-day Rwanda, introduces one of the most singular and engaging characters in recent fiction: Angel Tungaraza - mother, cake baker, keeper of secrets - a woman living on the edge of chaos, finding ways to change lives, weave magic, and create hope amid the madness that is swirling around her.”

This is a delightful novel. It’s structured so that each chapter surrounds a new customer for Angel and a new occasion for her to make one of her celebrated cakes. The events are quite varied and include a christening, a divorce, a graduation, and a wedding. Each new event/client loosely frames the chapter and introduces the reader to new characters and new aspects of Angel’s life and vibrant community.

I’m painfully aware of the fact that I don’t read enough books written by or written about other countries and cultures. It was interesting and wonderful to learn more about modern life in several African countries, most specifically Rwanda. The story doesn’t revolve around any one challenge they face in particular, but many characters in the book have survived terrible tragedies, including war, violence, and AIDS.

But while the characters have inevitably been shaped by hardships, the story we read is  ultimately happy, resilient, and hopeful. Just like so many people and stories in our own lives.

This book comes out on August 18, look for it at an independent bookstore, or pre-order it from BarnesandNoble.com.

An excerpt of the beginning of the book is available free online here.